Proposed Doubling Size of Wellington International Equestrian Showgrounds Submitted to Local Government
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By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
WELLINGTON, Florida, Oct. 18, 2023–A proposal to more than double the size of Wellington International equestrian showgrounds has been submitted to the Village of Wellington that governs the community.
The proposed addition–labeled a “compatibility determination”–would increase the size of the show grounds from 80 acres with 18 competition arenas and 256 permanent stalls by 114.65 acres to a total of 194.65 acres. The new showgrounds will accommodate a new stadium up to about 206,000 square feet that includes viewing, dining, and retail spaces, as well as additional competition arenas, a so-called derby field and horse stalls.
The expansion of what has been the home of the Winter Equestrian Festival of jumpers and hunters includes several properties currently controlled by Mark Bellissimo as head of Wellington Equestrian Partners. The expansion will “provide an improved experience for horses, riders, spectators, and support staff.”
The addition will create “more of a park-like feel” that would be “safer, and less congested than the existing showgrounds.”
“It will allow Wellington International to continue to attract elite riders and equestrian-enthusiasts from around the world.
“Wellington was the trailblazer in creating an integrated equestrian community, and it has become a model
for other communities. While Wellington currently has a deeply rooted foothold in the global equestrian
industry, the market is competitive, and it is continuing to grow.
“Recently, the largest equestrian complex in the country was developed in Ocala, Florida. The 7,000-acre self-proclaimed ‘World Equestrian Center’ is an equestrian destination that provides equestrian amenities, residential communities, a hotel, shopping, and dining.
“In addition, Terra Nova, in Sarasota has begun the marketing of its property, with the ‘Live, Ride, Compete’ tagline and has competing hunter jumper dates in the winter, spring, and fall.”
The proponent “believes that there will be a more aggressive transition to the equestrian lifestyle and more competitors will enter the space both nationally and internationally. Moreover, on the world stage, there are strengthening winter circuits in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. To preserve the Village’s stake in the equestrian industry and establish our community as the true Equestrian Capital of the World, the new
showgrounds must be created.”
The proposal specifies use of the property for equestrian use–without specifying the disciplines–and ties it to plans for high-end residential communities, including at the existing Equestrian Village where the Global Dressage Festival has been staged for more than a decade.
The Global dressage circuit will be held at its current location at least through the 2024 winter circuit.
The Village of Wellington, the local government, has set mid-November to make a decision on proposals to re-zone parts of Equestrian Village that are currently designated part of Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve, a large slice of the community that is dedicated to preservation of equestrian.
The proposed changes in zoning to allow construction of residences, commercial space, including a hotel, has run into opposition from many residents of Wellington that view the change as an incursion on the Equestrian Preserve and creating a precedent for future changes.
The current Global dressage facilities at Equestrian Village are controlled by an investment group called Wellington Equestrian Partners headed by Mark Bellissimo.
In exchange, the group has offered to sell the land that is included in the showgrounds expansion proposal for the winter-long Global dressage circuit and other equestrian competitions.
